The Eating Hygiene Series
Do you savor your food?
T H E E A T I N G H Y G I E N E S E R I E S #7 of 11
Mindful eating, with intention
“At its most essential, the apple you hold is a manifestation of the wonderful presence of life. It is interconnected with all that is. It contains the whole universe; it is an ambassador of the cosmos coming to nourish our existence. It feeds our body, and if we eat it mindfully, it also feeds our soul and recharges our spirit.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life
Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the world’s most famous and beloved writers on the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, and in his book Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, he applies mindfulness to something every human does: eat. This book encourages us to spend time thinking not just about what we eat, but how. By stripping away the distractions, we can divert from mindless eating — just shoving convenient food in our mouth when and where we can — into mindful eating, with intention. Mindful eating isn’t just some esoteric practice. Slowing down and being more aware of how you eat can also impact what you eat, making you realize when and why you’re reaching for the wrong things, and halting those impulses.
“I began working with HBH nine months ago. I very quickly accelerated my weight loss and solved my problem with leg cramps thanks to their advice. Overtime I have gotten off of GERD medications completely. My weight loss has continued and to date I’ve lost about 25 pounds on their program. HBH provides personalized and personable advice.” –Carla D.
EATING HYGIENE TIP #7
Try a mindfulness exercise from Savor. Pretend you’re a Martian, and you’ve never seen earthling food before. Take just one tiny bite, and apply all your senses to figure it out. What does it smell like? How does that smell affect your saliva before you even put the food in your mouth? Can you stall your impulse to eat it quickly? Can you chew so slowly that you notice the different flavor activations on parts of your tongue? Explore with inquisitiveness. Experience each bite in a way you never have before.
